Bowling-game apparatus



c. H. PAJEAU BOWLING GAME APPARATUS Flled Jan 25 1926 IqVeqfnr-I I CIQF/Q/I /7 Tll 60Q Bjed 314% April 19 1927.

Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

Uhll'l'ElT hA'l'EN'l' GFFlfiE'...

CHARLES HAMILTON PAJEAU, OF GLENGOE, ILLXNOIS, ASSIG'NGR TO TOY TINKERS, INCL, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, CORFQRATIGN OF ILLINGIS.

BOWLING-GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed January 25, 1326.

My invention relates to an apparatus for playing a game in which the scoring is done after the general manner as in bowling, and in its general objects aims to provide an inexpensive game apparatus for this purpose which will afford opportunities for the display of considerable skill by the players and which will introduce some of the same elements of fascination as found in regular 19 bowling.

In United States Patent No. 1,187,928, issued to me on June th. 1916 on a game apparatus, I have shown a bowling gan'ie apparatus employing a traveler member which has a shaft adapted to span and roll upon two parallel elevated rails, and with means pen the shaft for storing up inoi'nentuni and for rapidly halting the rotation of the shaft after this falls below a predetermined speed. In the apparatus there disclosed, l employed a large number of movable members simulating the usual nine pins of a bowling game, thereby introducing coinpli 'ations of manufacture and also depending in part on the resistance of the pins for checking the movement of the traveler me1nher. In my present apparatus, I employ only a single pin at each end of the apparatus and employ friction means as an aid for retarding the rotation of the shaft or roller of the traveler member. 1 also dispose the pin in each case so that it can re ceive the direct impact of the momentunr storing portion of the traveler member and so that an excessive travel of the traveler member beyond the point of upsetting the pin will lead the traveler member to a nonsooring position, while a too delicate contact with the pin will only shift or rock the pin after the manner of a lightly touched pin in actual bowling.

Furthermore, my present apparatus provit es a more simple construction, adapted to be rigidly assembled. at the factory, and 45 one which ca be cheaply manufactured with all stationary portions formed of sheet metal. Still further also some detailed ob- 'jects will appear from the following specification and from the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus embodying my invention.

Serial No. 83,703.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the lefthaud end portion of the same apparatus.

lg. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical section, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a side elevation of the traveler member of the apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one end of the apparatus, showing an obliquely played traveler as halted without upsetting the bowling pin.

its here illustrated.v my game apparatus includes a pair of parallel and preferably horizontal rails l and 2, supported at equal heights above a base strip 3 which extends medially between the rails and which is dis posed considerably lower than the rails. This base strip is here shown as secured to the bights of two ll-shaped connecting memhers and 5, each of which members has its arms secured respectively to the two rails l and 2, so as to support the rails in fixed relation to the base strip. The base-strip is provided near at least one end, and preferably adjacent to both ends, with positionindicating means, such as circles 6 and '7. each adapted to define the initial position of a bowling pin 8 set upon the base strip.

lilac-h rail is provided with markings which preferably include a series of rela tively short spaces munbered from 1 to 9 inclusive, the numl ering' being from the medial portion of the rail, and a considerably longer space numbered 10 adjacent to and beyond the space iiiumbered 9.

These numbered rail sections afl'ord indications l'or scoring the halting point of a traveler which has been started from the 0p posite end of the rails with the intent-ion of upsetting the bowling pin and of halting the traveler within the indications of the space 10 adjacent to the upset pin. For this purpose, I provide a traveler having a shaft adapted to span the rails and to be rolled upon the rails, and also having portions adapted to store momentum when the shaft is initially rotated by a twisting movement applied to both ends of the shaft by the lingers of the player. This traveler preferably also has its momentunustoring means arranged so as to unbalance and speedily halt the traveler when its speed drops to a predetermined minimum, after the maner more Ill fully described in my said United States Patent No. 1,187,923.

In the drawings, the traveler includes a shaft 9 considerably longer than the width of the track constituted by the pair of rails, a central ball fastened to the center of the shaft and a plurality of arms 11 projecting radially from the ball 10 and symmetrically disposed about the axis of the shaft in a plane transverse of that axis, the arms being of equal length and each having a head 12 at its outer end. Each arm has a momentum hall 13 slidable on it and of a diameter smaller thanthe distance between the head of the arm and the central ball 10.

With the traveler thus constructed, a rapid rotation of the shaft will cause the momen tum balls 13 to slide outward on the respective arms against the heads on the latter, thereby balancing the traveler dynamically and acting afterthe manner of a fiy-whecl for storing momentum. lVhen the rotating shaft is then set down on the track. this momerit-um will cause the shaft to roll along the rails. However, as soon as the speed of rotation becomes insuiiicicnt for causing centrifugal force to hold the balls against the heads of the arms, gravity will slide the uppermost one or two balls down against the center ball, thereby unbalancing and rapidly halting the traveler.

Owing to this speedy halting, I can make the numbered spaces quite short in proportion to the diameter of the shaft of the traveller. However. a fair simulation of the difliculties encountered in actual howling make itdesirable to interpose a relatively long stretch of track between the numbered sections and the track portion on which the shaft is started. To provide this without making my apparatus unduly bulky. I employ momentum balls of a weight adapted to roll the shaft for a much greater length than that of the track and equip the traveler with friction means for retarding: its rotation. Thus, the illustrated traveler has a U-shaped sheetv metal friction member let freely spanning the system of balls. with the shaft 9 extending loosely througl'i the arms of this U-shaped member. When the shaft is rotating, the friction of the arms on the shaft tends to retard the rotation and either arm may also slide against one end of the central ball 10 so as to add to the friction. Moreover. if the traveler is not carefully started. it may roll oblique to the track, so as to cause an arm of the friction member to engage one of the rails, as shown in Fig. 5. Hence my simple arrangement not only compensates for otherwise excessive momentum, thereby enabling me to shorten 'the length of the track traversed by the traveler before reaching the numbered sections, but also serves to penalize unskilled or care less players.

To prevent the traveler from rolling: off either end of the track. I preferably provide suitable stop means, as for etztniple. by providing; both rails of the track adjacent to each end with notches l5 alinina transverse l y of the track. These stop notches are prel crably disposed adjacent to the designated pin positions so as to increase the difficulty of scoring a 10 (or strike) indication. but the location of the stop means may be varied accordimr to the rules adopter l for playing a game with this game apparatus. With the illustrated arrangenilent. a halting ol' the traveler by the notches may count as the equivalent of ditching a bowling ball. thereby nullifyinp; the upsetting: of the pin by the traveler; thus making it necessary for the player to halt the traveler back of the stop notches while still upsetting: the pin. it he wishes to score a strike.

lVith the same arrangement. the other nun'lberedsections can score the correspondin members znicordinfi to the section at which the traveler shaft: stops. and a spare can be scored when two consecutive nonstrikes aggregate a given total. as for oramplc ten or any number from ten to liltcen. To make the indications more easily discerned, I preferably place section-indicatin; numerals not only on the tops of the rails but also on the rail sides. To increase the difficulty of scoring strikes. lf may also make the momentum balls of such a limited diameter that they can encr between the properly positioned pin and one of the rails if the traveler is at one side of the track. as shown for example in Fig.

As a desirable construction, I 1nri'erably make each of the rails of an angular section and form the supports 4-. and 5 of channelsectioned metal disposed with the channels backs outward so that each channel back can readily be secured llalwise to the depending web of the adjacent rail. I also desirably form the middle portion of the birrhl: of ear-h support: 4- and 5 so as to form an arch lilting; snugly into the base strip 53 which is of an inverted channel section. thereby perinilitiiur a single rivet 16 to secure each supporting member rigidly to t-hebase lp.

For a table game apparatus. l preferably provide similar sets of munbered sections and pin-s tiotting indices at each end of the track. so that the grams .an be played alternately from opposite ends of the apparatus. However. I do not wish to be limited to the employ tent of my invention in a double ended apparatus. nor to the above deseri bed desirable details of construction and arrangements, since many variations might obviously be made without departing either from the spirit of my invention or from the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a game apparatus, a pair of spaced luu llll

lflll rails, and a traveler member adapted to be rolled upon the rails; the traveler member including a roller spanning the rails, moiiientuiii-acquiring means carried by the roller for continuing rotation imparted to the roller, and friction means carried by the roller tor retarding rotation theeot.

2. In a game apparatus. a pair of spaced rails, and a traveler member adapted to be relied upon the rails; the traveler member including a roller spanning and resting upon the rails, momentuiii-acquiring means carried by the shaft for continuing rotation imparted to the roller, and friction means carried by the roller for retarding rotation, the friction means being adapted to engage either of the rails.

In a game apparatus, a track, a roller movable upon the same, means carried by the roller for dynamically balancing the latter when rotated at a predetermined minimum speed and for dynamically unbalancing the roller when rotating at a speed below that minimum and a triction member rotatably mounted on the roller for retarding rotation of the latter.

4:. A game apparatus as per claim 3, in which the friction member comprises a yoke having perforations in its arms through which the roller extends.

5. In a game apparatus, a pair of rails, a roller movable upon the same, momentumstoring means carried by the roller and disposed between the rails, and a friction memher journalcd on the roller and having its journaling portions respectively disposed at opposite sides of the 1nomentum-storing means and respectively adapted to engage either side oi the momentnm-storing means.

6. In a game apparatus. a track, a rotatable traveling member having a member adapted to roll on the track and two speedretarding means carried by the traveling member: one of the said means being continuously operative while the traveler is rotating. the other of the said means being operative only when the traveling member is rotating below a predetermined speed.

7. In a bowling gan'ie apparatus. a pair oi elevated rails. a normally upright pin disposed between the rails at one end thereof, a pin support provided medially between the rails with a spot n'iarking defining the position ot the l'iase of the pin, means rigidly comiccting the pin support to the rails; and a rotatable traveling member including lateral portions adapted to roll respectively on the two rails and a medial portion adapt ed to engage the pin, the medial portion having a part thereof of such a size as to enter between the pin and one of the rails.

In a bowling game apparatus. a pair of elevated rails, a normally upright pin disposed between the rails at one end thereof, and a rotatable traveling member in eluding lateral portions adapted to roll rcspectively on the two rails and a radially projecting medial portion adapted to engage the pin, one of the rails having a relatively long space numbered 10 adjacent of one end of the rail and a series of shorter spaces adjacent to the said long space and respectively nun'lbercd from 1 to 9 inclu' sive.

5). In a bowling game apparatus, a pair oi alined U-shaped supports having their bights adapted to seat on a table, a base strip secured to the said bights and marked near each end with an indication for defining the position of a bowling pin, a loose bowling pin having a base adapted to seat on either of the said indications, a pair ott' elevated rails each secured to one. shank of each support, the said rails being laterally equidistant from the two marked indications and extending beyond the said indications, and a traveler member adapted to be rolled upon the rails from either end to upet the bowling pin when the latter is positioned on the indication near the opposite end ot' the strip.

10. In a bowling game, a rigid structure including a pair of horizontal and laterally spaced rails and a pair of pin supports, respectively adjacent to the opposite ends of the rails, each pin support being disposed below and between the rails and having a marking to indicate a definite position for a bowling pin; a bowling pin standing on one of the said markings; and a traveler member including a roller spanning and resting upon the rails. and means carried by the roller tor storing momentum, the traveler member having a portion thereof disposed between the rails and disposed for engaging the bowling pin when the roller is rolled upon the rails toward the end of the rails adjacent to which the bowling pin is disposed.

11. A bowling game as per claim 10, including means on the rails adjacent to thebowling pin for halting the roller it the latter reaches the said means with less than a predetermined momentum, the said means being insuflicient tor etlecting such halting it the roller has a greater momentum.

12. In a bowling game, a pair of elevated and laterally spaced and substantially horiaontal rails, means for supporting the rails, a pin support fast with respect to the rails and having a marking denoting the proper position for a bowling pin, the part of the support having the said marking bebelow and between the rails; a bowling pin standing on the said marking; and a traveler member including a roller spanning and resting upon the rails, and momentum-storing means carried by the roller and disposed between the rails and adapted to engage the bowling pins; one of the rails traveled for a predetermined distance after its momentum-stormg means have engaged the bowling pin.

Signed at Evanston, Illinois, Jan. 20, 1926.

CHARLES HAMILTON PAJEAU. 

